New trends: Electric bikes rule China's urban streets?

As bicycles have once again become a good option for commuters for short distances, people in China appear to have found their way to protest against traffic in long distances.

These around 2,100 yuan ($295) two-wheelers are a vital part of clean transport among the young generation. According to data by the Bicycle Association, there were about 350 million electric bikes on China's roads in 2022, and that number is predicted to surge even further on the back of rising demand and policy initiatives.

For the young generation, e-bikes are more than a green transportation tool, but also a lifestyle and method of self-expression.

Ruling urban streets

It is hard to ignore the fact that increasing numbers of young people in Beijing are using e-bikes since they are "convenient and pretty cool", providing riders with the joyful experience of being able to shuttle freely in the city and commute during the traffic rush.

"I love the feeling of cycling around. Besides, since I am keen on sports, I can go and stop anywhere on a spur-of-the-moment decision with my e-bikes," an e-bike owner named Xiaoxiao Loves Sport wrote on Xiaohongshu, China's Instagram-like platform.

With the bike-sharing craze, and policies banning motorcycles and e-tricycles, two-wheelers have made a huge comeback over the past few years in Beijing.

In some old sites in Beijing's downtown, bicycles and e-bikes have become the better option for people's daily commutes or methods to connect a destination to a subway station.  

"I have cars and four motorcycles but e-bikes suit me more for commutes. I live outside the 4th ring Road and working on Chang'an Avenue. It takes me about an hour every morning by car and 80 minutes by subway but only 30 minutes by e-bike," an owner surnamed Yi said to CGTN. "When riding my e-bike, I don't wait more than once at each traffic light."

Considering Beijing's license restriction policy for fuel and new energy vehicles, for millions of young people, an automobile is still out of the question.

"It's too hard to own a car in Beijing, but very easy to have an e-bike which gives me the satisfaction of having own 'first car'," an e-bike owner surnamed Geng, said to CGTN. "Nowadays, most young people's first car is probably an e-bike!"

According to a 2022 survey report by Meiqi on China's bicycle industry, e-bikes accounted for 10.9% in 2022 and soon became the third largest mode of daily travel in China.

A battlefield on social media

"Be the prestigious owner of an Aima (an E-bike company in China) and beat 99.9% of college students," Diudiubudiu wrote on Xiaohongshu and shared the decoration after purchasing her first e-bike.

Born in 2003, Diudiubudiu has over 8,000 followers on Xiaohongshu and shares her college life with her e-bike every day. Under her blogs, many young people shared similar riding experiences and asked about the range of her electric vehicles.

After observing that young generations love to attach social attributes to their beloved two-wheels and share their experiences on social media, manufacturers began building their new battlefield on social media, including on platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Chinese video-sharing app Douyin. 

"Wherever young people like to communicate and share their ideas, Aima will build a battlefield," said Mo Xuan, the chief brand officer of Aima Tech.

The value dimension of e-bikes is no longer just riding and providing convenience, but also in mirroring people's personal tastes, value orientation and aesthetic appeal.

Through online advertising, female users who love to pay top dollar on vintage looks and smart features are constantly directed to stores.

Up to now, Aima has built over 14,000 accounts on Xiaohongshu and Douyin. In a franchise store in Chaoyang, 60 percent of the store's sales come from users being advertised on Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

An upwardly mobile population

China has young, upwardly mobile populations which makes the country an ideal target market. For young consumers, it is more than a transportation tool, but also a part of upward mobile life and helps people pursue a better life. For them, efficiency is the priority.

In recent years, electric bicycles have been used in movies and literature to represent hardworking young people. In 2023 China's Spring Festival Gala, electric vehicles shown on stage, representing migrant workers returning home with New Year goods.

"I believe most of the young people in Beijing are migrant workers. For us, an e-bike is the best choice since it is convenient, fast and cheap," an owner surnamed Qiao told CGTN. 

"There is no direct public transportation from the company to my apartment, and an electric bike is the most suitable, which can give me an extra half an hour of sleep and rest every day," she said. "The radius of life also expanded a lot. When riding shared bikes, the life range was about three kilometers, and now it has expanded to 10 kilometers.”